PRESIDENT MARTELLY TO VISIT TAIWAN: WHAT WILL HAITI BENEFIT? BY: EMMANUEL ROY NEW YORK, NY- Haitian President Michel Joseph Martelly, and his newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Duly Brutus together with twenty-eight other members of the Haitian Government, including the first lady Sophia Martelly are scheduled to arrive in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei in the middle of this week for a four day official visit. This visit will mark the 58th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two island nations, and will signal the beginning of perhaps a new mutually beneficial relationship between Taipei and Port-Au-Prince. Haiti was the first country in the United Nations to recognize Taiwan as a free and independent country, after the breakaway island declared its independence from Mainland China following the aftermath of the Second World War. In the last fifty-eight years, Haiti has been a staunch supporter of Taiwan at the United Nations - defending its right to exist as a free country. That support has often angered Mainland China, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council that considers Taiwan as part of a greater China. The Fifty-Eight year relationship between the two countries has served mainly the interest of Taiwan in its fight against Chinas intransigence and continuing threats to reign in Taiwan as a province of China. The issue between Taiwan and China is a very sensible one to which even the United States has recognized Taiwan to be part of China under its Two China Policy and has always taken steps not to offend mainland China. You cannot afford to upset your banker! In the last ten years, most of the countries in the Caribbean, including those who are members of CARICOM to which Haiti belongs, have either ceased or limited their diplomatic relationship with Taiwan in exchange for substantial financial aid and investment from mainland China. Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, even the tiny islands of Turks and Caicos have seen Chinese investment in their countries quadruple since 2010. These countries have realized that as Chinas economy grows, it has become increasingly difficult to justify their cozy relationship with Taiwan, a small island incapable of marshaling the kind of huge investment that creates jobs and serious economic opportunities for their people. Haiti is one of two island nations that continue to maintain a tight friendly relationship with Taiwan at the expense of the best interest of their people. The cozy relationship that exists between Haiti and Taiwan has not brought anything to Haiti. In 2002 Taiwan contributed a few million dollars to President Aristides campaign in the hope that its relationship with Haiti would remain at the status quo. The people of Haiti have not received anything in return from Taiwan for its continued support. As President Martelly is preparing to meet his counterpart in Taipei, the time is ripe to discuss a mutually beneficial relationship. What good is a friend if you cannot rely on him in times of great need? According to the chief of Haitian Diplomacy and the National Palace, President Martelly and his Foreign Minister hope to complete the negotiation of a bilateral agreement with the Taiwanese that will include the transfer of technology that could potentially assist Haiti in raising its rice production to meet local demands. This is a positive step in the right direction. Haiti currently consumes about 490,000 tons of rice a year, but only produces about 130,000 tons a year. Increasing local production is the first step, but that alone will not solve the problem unless the government revises its tariffs on rice imports to give the local producers a fighting chance. Though the trip is important, the question is why does the government need thirty people to negotiate a simple bilateral agreement, especially when the President told the Haitian people a few days ago that that the Haitian coffers are empty. The country is broke. If the country is as broke as the president said, how do you justify per diem for 30 people for a four-day trip? As much I support the President, this kind of waste makes me want to pull my hair off - wait I am bald! Happy Easter to all of you! Emmanuel Roy is a freelance Writer Follow him on Twitter @EJRManny Do not be a low information person - be informed- To receive Articles and other important information please send an email to: EJRIIIinfo@gmail.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 21:07:33 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015